Shrewsbury to Welshpool road closure branded 'fiasco'
Residents living along a stretch of a main road between Shropshire and Mid Wales are having to wait for up to half an hour to be escorted to their homes while roadworks are ongoing, it has been claimed.
The busy A458 road between Shrewsbury and Welshpool is closed overnight, from Churncote Roundabout to the Sandy Lane junction, from 8pm and 6am.
Highways England has shut the carriageway in both directions for resurfacing work and it is expected to re-open fully on November 2.
Councillor Evans said the work was a "fiasco" and is affecting hundreds of residents, who live along the A458 and in Ford, and were not consulted.
He said: "A letter did go out to some residents, but only those on the main road, telling them that they may have to wait between five and 10 minutes for a workman to let them through and escort them to their home.
"But someone was waiting their 25 minutes on Tuesday night. Staff didn't have a clue was was going on and were not very co-operative.
"This organised convoy system is not very organised.
Fiasco
"The road is also used a lot by blue light ambulances who definitely do not have the time to wait even five minutes to be escorted. It's turned into a little bit of a fiasco.
"We simply cannot have ambulances, police cars and fire engines waiting to be let through for whenever it might be convenient for whoever is on site."
The road has been completely closed to ensure the safety of the workforce and there is a diversion in place.
But Councillor Evans added: "I understand how important safety is, and no one wants there to be an accident, but why can't they do one carriageway at a time?
"Shropshire Council and the residents should have been consulted on this. There is about 600 homes in Ford and they are all going to be affected.
"I know a lot of people who work at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital use that road, and sometimes they are called and asked to go in at the last minute to help.
"Residents just don't know what's going on. This is not an emergency closure, it appears to be a planned closure although using the word planned is to me a misuse of the English language."
Highways England project sponsor, Ian Woodbridge, said: “We’re carrying out essential improvements including resurfacing and drainage work to prevent flooding on the A458 between Sandy Lane and the A5.
“We’re doing this work overnight when the road is at its quietest and thank motorists and residents for their patience while this takes place.”
